Contact Us
Two Pershing Square 2300 Main Street, Suite 170 Kansas City MO 64108Two Pershing Square
2300 Main Street, Suite 170
Kansas City, MO 64108
Directions
Telephone: (816) 221-6600
Toll Free: 1 (877) 284-6600
Fax: (816) 221-6612
In September, NBC News released a 2-part series on the dangers of IVC blood clot filters, specifically focusing on products manufactured by C.R. Bard. On December 31, 2015, NBC News released a follow-up on this exclusive year-long investigation.
In the report, NBC News correspondent, Stephanie Gosk, spoke with Chris Svedise. Svedise, having been implanted with C.R. Bard’s G2 Express five years ago, found out last October that the filter was not where it was supposed to be; it had moved dangerously close to his heart.
Svedise underwent an emergency surgery conducted by Dr. William Kuo of Stanford Health Care’s IVC Filter Clinic. Three legs of the device had already broken off and traveled to the lungs; two other partially broken legs broke off during the procedure.
Listen to the NBC News broadcast
IVC filters are cage-like devices used in patients with an increased risk of developing blood clots. Used in hundreds of thousands of people, these devices block clots from getting to the heart and lungs.
Eleven companies sell IVC filters; however, studies have shown that Bard’s Recovery filter had a higher rate of relative risk for death, filter fracture and filter movement than any other competitor.
The Recovery has been linked to at least 27 fatalities and hundreds of other reported problems. Its replacement, the G2, has had similar problems and has been linked to at least a dozen deaths.
In its’ report, NBC News cited a confidential memo written by one of C.R. Bard’s own vice presidents who expressed concern about the device’s potential for migration, tilting and perforation.
“The data speaks for itself,” says Dr. Kuo. “The number of complications, the frequency of severe failures makes it obvious that it was never safe to be implanted.” (source: NBC news broadcast)
In cases like Svedise’s, many doctors do not want to take the risk to remove the device. Dr. William Kuo of Stanford Health Care’s IVC Filter Clinic specializes in this type of surgery. He estimates he has removed 1,000 failed devices in the last 10 years. Kuo said he sees more complications with Bard filters than any other brand. Read the full NBC News story
Patients need to understand the potential dangers these medical devices may cause so they can talk with their doctor and monitor the filter’s placement.
As of December 15, 2015, according to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, C.R. Bard faces 72 lawsuits in MDL 2641, In Re: Bard IVC Filter Products Liability Litigation, and Cook Medical faces 172 consolidated lawsuits in MDL 2570, In Re: Cook Medical, Inc., IVC Filter Marketing, Sales Practices and Product Liability Litigation.
Many IVC blood clot filter lawsuits are being pursued alleging that these companies failed to provide adequate warnings about the risks and that the devices are defective, putting patients at risk for potentially life-threatening complications.
Bard IVC Filter Lawsuits Centralized in MDL. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation JPML) has decided to consolidate all pending IVC filter cases against C.R. Bard, Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular. Read the Full Post.
IVC Filter Lawsuits Against C.R. Bard Continue to Move Forward. On October 29, 2015, the first scheduling conference was held where the Court addressed a number of concerns. Read the Full Post.
Missouri IVC Filter Wrongful Death Against C.R. Bard. On September 28, 2015, a wrongful death lawsuit, filed by a St. Louis woman against C.R. Bard, alleges that her husband’s death was due to complications with a Bard G2 IVC filter. Read the full Post.
Medical devices are intended to protect patients at risk for certain medical conditions; however, as Dr. Kuo states, “We can no longer rely on medical device companies to do what’s in the best interest of the patient. And we can no longer rely on the FDA to properly regulate these devices.”
If you or a family member has suffered adverse effects from a failed IVC filter, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact the attorneys at Nash & Franciskato today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Our attorneys will help you decide if an IVC Filter lawsuit is the right course of action for you.
Are IVC Filters Worth the Risk. Two professors discuss the question: “Do inferior vena cava (IVC) filters still have a role in managing thrombosis?” Read the article.
Past results afford no guarantee of future results and each case is different and is judged on its own merits. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.